Think back to around 1996. What were you doing on a weekday at 4 p.m.? I was usually sitting in the kitchen of my parent’s house doing math homework and listening to the radio, and without fail, I’d hear Marcy Playground’s eponymous hit “Sex and Candy.”
It seems that a lot of people from my generation share some version of that sentimental tidbit, and you can relive that moment Jan. 30 and listen to a lot of Marcy Playground’s great tunes (live) at Brewster’s Pub. Concert goers can also expect to see opening act and fellow UNF’ers Clayton Bush and the Sonic Dukes.
MP released “Leaving Wonderland … in a fit of Rage,” their fourth album, in 2008 and has spent the last year touring in support of it. This tour is more in support of the band itself, said bassist Dylan Keefe.
“We’re specifically trying to promote the two albums before ‘Leaving Wonderland’ [Shapeshifter and MP3],” Keefe said. “A lot of independent labels aren’t throwing money at bands to tour anymore.”
The band is literally and figuratively supporting itself in this endeavor, Keefe said.
Though MP’s EPs have featured some extra orchestration, like overdubbed guitars and piano, Keefe said that the line-up features only the core members: John Wozniak (he goes by “Woz”) on guitar and vocals, Keefe and Shlomi Lavie on drums.
“Production on records nowadays is so slick,” Keefe said. “People try to go out and mimic how they sound on stage, and it’s hard to get all these guys on stage and get a sweet mix. It ends up totally overblown, and that takes the soul out of it.”
He cited Nirvana as a major influence, because they had a lot of extra overdubs on records but kept it sweet and simple live.
Lavie joined the band in late 2008 and his addition marks the first lineup change in almost 10 years.
“I met him in Isreal and said, ‘If you ever come to the States, you have to play in my band,’” Keefe said.
Former dummer Gonzalo Martinez De La Cotera left the band and Shlomi signed on right before MP’s 2009 tour.
“The chemistry is perfect,” Keefe said. “As grueling as touring can be, it sounds great every night.”
Fans may get a chance to hear songs they’ve never heard and super-fans will get a chance to hear songs of which they wish they heard more, Keefe said. MP plays some tunes that never appeared on albums but have garnered a cult following among their hardcore fans.
Doors for the show open at 7 p.m. and tickets ring up to $15 a pop.
